It’s that time of the year again. The entire population of the United States seemingly tires of the hot and humid summer, and heads indoors to get their annual fix of all things shark. In honor of this special week, we wanted to share a little shark knowledge. No doubt, you’ll learn some of this […]

Like many countries that became independent from their colonial rulers, the nation formerly know as Burma changed its name in the latter half of the twentieth century. The country’s name was changed to Myanmar in 1989 after a military coup toppled the ruling totalitarian Burma Socialist Programme Party. However, the symbolic meaning of the name […]

Apparently, not everyone subscribes to the notion of loving thy neighbor. Throughout the United States, you can find numerous buildings constructed or modified with the specific purpose of annoying others. Known as spite houses, these dwellings can be irritating for various different reasons. Maybe they hinder what otherwise would be a nice view. Or perhaps […]

London in the summertime sounds quite lovely, but in 1858, it was probably the last place anyone would want to be. That summer the city really stunk. Like, it literally smelled rancid, and the city could barely function as a result. The putrid odor, which emanated from the iconic River Thames, came to be known […]

The Tunguska Event It happened on June 30, 1908. A fireball ripped through the daytime sky above a remote forest in Siberia, close to the Podkamennaya Tunguska river. Moments later, a roaring shockwave rattled homes and knocked people off their feet. Today, it is known as the Tunguska Event. The explosion depleted some 2,000 sq […]

Every year on July 14, France celebrates their national holiday, known to English speakers as Bastille Day. Across the country, people celebrate by attending parades and parties, and of course eating plenty of delicious food. So just what is Bastille Day all about? Here’s a little background. Mark Heald Mark Heald is an Associate Product […]

Each year before the MLB All-Star Game, the league’s best sluggers come together for an annual home run hitting contest. Since its humble origins in the early 1980s, the Home Run Derby has become a fan favorite, and is one of the most-watched events broadcast on ESPN. The popularity of the event should not be […]

Americans have had a longstanding fascination with the FBI. The bureau has been the subject of numerous television shows and movies: The X-Files, Twin Peaks, and Silence of the Lambs, to name a few. Recently, however, amid FBI Director James Comey firing, everyone is paying more attention to the bureau than ever. So, you may know […]

Can’t get enough geography? We’re right there with you. The world is a big, beautiful, fascinating place. Here are a few geography facts related to North America that you might find interesting. 1. Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost AND easternmost state. It’s not hard to imagine Alaska being the northernmost and westernmost state in the US. […]

BBQs, fireworks, friends and family; the 4th of July truly is an American classic. While we all know this is the date America celebrates its independence, there may be a few fun tidbits about our country’s birthday that you might not know. Here are 10 interesting facts about the 4th of July that you can […]

What is Canada Day? On July 1, 1867, the British North Americas Act joined together the three separate colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and created a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada. Canadians were encouraged to celebrate this anniversary the following year, but there was no official commemoration until 1879, […]

A Short History of the Number of Supreme Court Justices Having nine Supreme Court Justices makes a lot of sense. With nine justices, there is no way that a case can end in a tie, unless a justice chooses to abstain. Article III of the Constitution specifies that the United States must have a Supreme […]

Piri Reis In 1929, a map was found inside Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace, which had recently been converted into a museum. It was created by a Turkish admiral and cartographer named Piri Reis back in 1513, who used many sources and older maps to make it. The map is noteworthy because of its fairly accurate portrayal […]

According to British author Walter Bagehot, “A Parliament is nothing less than a big meeting of more or less idle people.” Whether or not you agree, one thing is certain: when parliament is hung, they can’t get much more idle. The term hung parliament, less commonly known as a balanced parliament, refers to a the […]

As we leave the spring behind, and summer begins, it is time to celebrate the summer solstice. As you probably know, the summer solstice, also known as the estival solstice, takes place around June 21st (depending on the year, it can also take place on June 20th or on June 22nd). On the day of […]